Ava's Pov:
The day had barely started and the restaurant was already busy. It wasn't crowded but there were enough to keep me on my toes the entire day.
The soft music playing in the background blurred out the sounds of people whispering and laughing. Everything and everyone screamed luxury. The floors were shiny, the glasses were lined up perfectly.
Before I could take it all in, I heard a loud clap. It was Kira, and that clap must've been an order for all the staff to gather around. I followed the others behind the counter where she was standing. Everyone lined up in front of her without saying a word. They stood straight with their hands behind their backs. I was confused, but also scared. It was nothing like Wine n Dine.
"Listen carefully," she said. "We have important guests today and I do not want any mistakes. Am I understood?
"Yes ma'am" We all answered.
Then, she turned to me. "Ava, follow Mia's lead. I know it's your first day but I expect the best from you. Is that clear?"
"Yes ma'am."
She nodded before walking off.
"I'm Mia. You'll be working with me."
"Oh it's a pleasure…"
"We both don't have time for any of that. Just focus on not making any mistakes. Miss Kira is always watching and as far as I know you're already on strike one."
"Strike? What does that mean?"
She rolled her eyes and scoffed. "You have no idea do you?"
Before I could say another word, she turned around and walked to the kitchen. I followed her.
"You're not ready to work in the kitchen. You'll be handling most of the orders."
"Does that mean I'll be serving or handing out menu's?"
"Both." Her tone was sharp.
"Table three. Now." Another server came up behind me and handed me a tray. I hesitably took it and walked out of the kitchen.
As I struggled to figure out which table I was meant to be serving, I couldn't help but notice two suspicious men by the window.
"Oh God not this again." I whispered to myself.
I told myself the stalker could've just been an obsessed fan the night before but I didn't believe that anymore.
They tried not to make eye contact but noticing them wasn't hard. It was the same tall and lean looking guy but this time he was with someone else, a much more muscular man. They both wore dark sunglasses and black suites.
I hadn't realized I'd been staring until Mia came up behind me.
"What the hell are you doing?" She whispered, still sounding annoyed.
"I am so sorry. I was having issues finding table three."
"You could have asked. You're keeping the customer waiting and Kira doesn't like that. Table three is by the window." She pointed at the shady men's table.
She walked off after giving me an agitated look.
I held my breath as I walked over to the table. Everyone seemed to fear Kira and I couldn't afford to get on her bad side on my first day, so I shook the fear off and walked over to them.
"Good morning. Can I get you guys anything else?"
"No. We're fine."
"For now." The muscular guy continued.
Goosebumps filled my skin. I smiled faintly before turning around and walking off.
I couldn't tell Mia or anyone that I had people following me so I fixed my face before entering the kitchen.
"Mia, could you explain the table arrangements and give me a copy of the menu?"
She looked like I was bothering her but she still tried to answer politely.
"I'll give you a separate menu. It has the table arrangements and specific events highlighted in it. Basically anything you'd need to know is in it.".
"I'd really appreciate that, thank you."
She went to the back room and came out shortly after with the menu in hand. "It's nothing too hard to understand. Memorize everything in ten minutes and get back to work."
She handed me the menu and continued working before I could say anything else. I could tell she really disliked being bothered.
I stood at the corner of the wine area, memorizing each event and responses to customers for twenty minutes.
Around noon, the restaurant started filling up quickly. People dressed in expensive clothes and walked in like they owned the place. Some of them barely acknowledged the staff. Others looked at us like we were nobody.
One customer especially caught my eye. He was the important guest Kira talked about. He walked in with his wife and daughter and immediately, Kira and a few servers swarmed around him.
The men I saw were already gone by then. I was relieved and their absence made it easier to move freely.
I attended to over ten customers and I was so excited but, of course, I wasn't regarded for my hard work.
By the end of the day, Kira called all of us again.
"Good job, all of you."
She kept a straight face, like she was telling us we did what was expected and it didn't deserve compliments. I don't know why I was expecting her to talk to me specifically, but she didn't.
"You'll get used to it." Mia whispered in my ears and walked away. She must've noticed the disappointment in my face.
I didn't bother to change clothes. I grabbed my bags and headed home.
This time, I took a taxi, just to see if my stalkers would follow me home. A part of me clinged to hope that they wouldn't go that far. But as soon as I hailed a cab, the same men suddenly came out from the shadows.
They got into a well tinted car and started to follow me.
In fear, I called Alicia.
"Alicia, I'm being followed again." I tried to whisper but my voice was too shaky.
"What? Where are you?"
"I'm going home. I took a taxi this time."
"Why did you do that?" she didn't yell but her tone was slightly higher. "Okay, redirect the driver to Oakville street, the fourth house."
"Okay okay." I didn't ask questions. I couldn't.
"Put on google maps. When you're five minutes away, call me."
"I will."
I hung up and told the driver to change directions. Thankfully, we only had to make one turn so they probably didn't realize we were going the wrong way.
Five minutes to the address, I called Alicia again. She answered on the first ring and told me she was standing outside.
I saw her almost immediately. I paid the driver before getting down and ran to Alicia.
The men parked at the start of the street, four houses down.
As Alicia hugged me, I quickly realized how much danger I was in
The day had barely started and the restaurant was already busy. It wasn't crowded but there were enough to keep me on my toes the entire day.
The soft music playing in the background blurred out the sounds of people whispering and laughing. Everything and everyone screamed luxury. The floors were shiny, the glasses were lined up perfectly.
Before I could take it all in, I heard a loud clap. It was Kira, and that clap must've been an order for all the staff to gather around. I followed the others behind the counter where she was standing. Everyone lined up in front of her without saying a word. They stood straight with their hands behind their backs. I was confused, but also scared. It was nothing like Wine n Dine.
"Listen carefully," she said. "We have important guests today and I do not want any mistakes. Am I understood?
"Yes ma'am" We all answered.
Then, she turned to me. "Ava, follow Mia's lead. I know it's your first day but I expect the best from you. Is that clear?"
"Yes ma'am."
She nodded before walking off.
"I'm Mia. You'll be working with me."
"Oh it's a pleasure…"
"We both don't have time for any of that. Just focus on not making any mistakes. Miss Kira is always watching and as far as I know you're already on strike one."
"Strike? What does that mean?"
She rolled her eyes and scoffed. "You have no idea do you?"
Before I could say another word, she turned around and walked to the kitchen. I followed her.
"You're not ready to work in the kitchen. You'll be handling most of the orders."
"Does that mean I'll be serving or handing out menu's?"
"Both." Her tone was sharp.
"Table three. Now." Another server came up behind me and handed me a tray. I hesitably took it and walked out of the kitchen.
As I struggled to figure out which table I was meant to be serving, I couldn't help but notice two suspicious men by the window.
"Oh God not this again." I whispered to myself.
I told myself the stalker could've just been an obsessed fan the night before but I didn't believe that anymore.
They tried not to make eye contact but noticing them wasn't hard. It was the same tall and lean looking guy but this time he was with someone else, a much more muscular man. They both wore dark sunglasses and black suites.
I hadn't realized I'd been staring until Mia came up behind me.
"What the hell are you doing?" She whispered, still sounding annoyed.
"I am so sorry. I was having issues finding table three."
"You could have asked. You're keeping the customer waiting and Kira doesn't like that. Table three is by the window." She pointed at the shady men's table.
She walked off after giving me an agitated look.
I held my breath as I walked over to the table. Everyone seemed to fear Kira and I couldn't afford to get on her bad side on my first day, so I shook the fear off and walked over to them.
"Good morning. Can I get you guys anything else?"
"No. We're fine."
"For now." The muscular guy continued.
Goosebumps filled my skin. I smiled faintly before turning around and walking off.
I couldn't tell Mia or anyone that I had people following me so I fixed my face before entering the kitchen.
"Mia, could you explain the table arrangements and give me a copy of the menu?"
She looked like I was bothering her but she still tried to answer politely.
"I'll give you a separate menu. It has the table arrangements and specific events highlighted in it. Basically anything you'd need to know is in it.".
"I'd really appreciate that, thank you."
She went to the back room and came out shortly after with the menu in hand. "It's nothing too hard to understand. Memorize everything in ten minutes and get back to work."
She handed me the menu and continued working before I could say anything else. I could tell she really disliked being bothered.
I stood at the corner of the wine area, memorizing each event and responses to customers for twenty minutes.
Around noon, the restaurant started filling up quickly. People dressed in expensive clothes and walked in like they owned the place. Some of them barely acknowledged the staff. Others looked at us like we were nobody.
One customer especially caught my eye. He was the important guest Kira talked about. He walked in with his wife and daughter and immediately, Kira and a few servers swarmed around him.
The men I saw were already gone by then. I was relieved and their absence made it easier to move freely.
I attended to over ten customers and I was so excited but, of course, I wasn't regarded for my hard work.
By the end of the day, Kira called all of us again.
"Good job, all of you."
She kept a straight face, like she was telling us we did what was expected and it didn't deserve compliments. I don't know why I was expecting her to talk to me specifically, but she didn't.
"You'll get used to it." Mia whispered in my ears and walked away. She must've noticed the disappointment in my face.
I didn't bother to change clothes. I grabbed my bags and headed home.
This time, I took a taxi, just to see if my stalkers would follow me home. A part of me clinged to hope that they wouldn't go that far. But as soon as I hailed a cab, the same men suddenly came out from the shadows.
They got into a well tinted car and started to follow me.
In fear, I called Alicia.
"Alicia, I'm being followed again." I tried to whisper but my voice was too shaky.
"What? Where are you?"
"I'm going home. I took a taxi this time."
"Why did you do that?" she didn't yell but her tone was slightly higher. "Okay, redirect the driver to Oakville street, the fourth house."
"Okay okay." I didn't ask questions. I couldn't.
"Put on google maps. When you're five minutes away, call me."
"I will."
I hung up and told the driver to change directions. Thankfully, we only had to make one turn so they probably didn't realize we were going the wrong way.
Five minutes to the address, I called Alicia again. She answered on the first ring and told me she was standing outside.
I saw her almost immediately. I paid the driver before getting down and ran to Alicia.
The men parked at the start of the street, four houses down.
As Alicia hugged me, I quickly realized how much danger I was in